Appearing in "Army Dreamers"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Nightmask (Lt. Keith Remsen) (Main story and flashback)
- Captain Jack Magniconte
- Pitbull (Gaylord Picaro)
- Bloodhound (Major Edward Zentner)
- Sgt. Haldeman
- Bazooka (Dwight Frye)
- Harlan Mook
- Chris Barret
Other Characters:
- Thelma Walters (Dream)
- Dennis Walters (Dream)
- Michele Walters (Dream)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Synopsis for "Army Dreamers"
Jeff has a dream in which his mom and brother and sister are strapped to a nuclear warhead. Jeff runs to help them, but reverts to the fat man he was before he became paranormal, trips over and doesn't reach his family in time, only to watch them explode. Nightmask appears to Jeff in his dream, and Jeff accuses him of being the specter of death. Jeff wakes up, as he's shaken awake by Lt. Keith Remsen, Nightmask's alter ego. Remsen tells Jeff he knows how he feels, losing his family in the Pitt, as Remsen's own parents were killed in a terrorist attack. Jeff is not placated, however, and is still angry that he couldn't save his family. Remsen dismisses him, and is visited by Captain Jack Magniconte, who persuades Remsen to clear Jeff for duty, despite Remsen's misgivings. Magniconte then goes to visit Jeff, Dave, and Pit Bull, who have all been given clean bills of health. Magniconte tells them they're all going to a special boot camp for paranormals - Fort Benning, Georgia.
The trio arrive by bus at the fort, and mingle with other draftees. Dave spots Randy and excitedly shouts his name, running over to him and lifting him into the air, until Sgt. Haldeman, obviously thinking they're gay, shouts thay he won't have any of that jazz in his outfit, and Dave puts Randy down. The recruits line up, and are inspected by Major Zentner. He and Dave both recognize each other from when Zentner was one of the Clinic's headhunters, who hunted the D.P.7, but neither mention it.
The men settle in to their barracks, and Dave recognizes Bazooka from the Clinic. When Dave hears about the police raid and killings that shut the Clinic down, he desperately asks Bazooka what happened to Steph. Dwight angrily tells him that he was too busy worrying about his own woman, Indigo, who was killed, and blasts Dave to get him off him. Dave angrily blames Randy for his not having been there to look after Steph. Outside, the men line up in uniform, and when Pit Bull starts laughing, Haldeman uses his parability on him, leaving him a gibbering wreck.
The next morning, the men tackle and assault course, with the super-fast Jeff making everyone else look bad, especially the geeky Harlan Mook. Later, Jeff has another session with Remsen, only to have the same dream with the same outcome. When he wakes up, he shouts at Remsen that he can't do anything to help.
Days later, in the mess hall, Dave apologizes to Randy for blaming him, while in the background Pit Bull bullies Mook. Mook tells him to come outside to settle it, while Jeff goes out running nearby. Pit Bull and Mook start to fight, and Mook teleports, knowing it will cause an explosion as he does so to kill Pit Bull. However, Jeff knocks Pit Bull out of the way in time, dislocating his shoulder in the process. Pit Bull is grateful, and Jeff feels good about saving someone. That night, Jeff has his dream again, but in it he manages to keep running and reach his family. However, his mom tells him he has to let them go, and to forgive himself. She tells him to run faster than any man has run before, and to make her proud. Jeff runs as they say goodbye to him, and the nuke goes off, with Jeff having forgiven himself for not saving them.
Notes
The issue includes a Marvel Universe-style entry on Dave Landers (Mastodon), as well as a map of Fort Benning.
The issue also includes a letters page, "ParanorMail," featuring letters from Michael J. Miller, Jon Hansen, Mamon Wells, and Erik Wetting.